Manchester United boss, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, held crisis talks with his senior players, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Maguire, ahead of the Watford clash.
While the upcoming match seems like an easy three points for the visitors, it’s easy to see why so many people opted to bet online against the sinking Manchester United.
An Urgent Meeting
It’s not easy being a Manchester United fan in 2021, and the team’s inconsistent, disappointing, and humiliating performances surely don’t help. Evidently, something has to change, and both the players and Man Utd boss know an improvement is needed; otherwise, Solskjaer just might get shown the doors by the end of the month.
Solskjaer is desperate to get his team back on track ahead of the clash with Watford on Saturday. It just might be the Red Devils’ best chance to gain some traction following a run of six defeats in the last 12 outings, including losses against Liverpool and Manchester City.
And even though the Old Trafford hierarchy refused to sack Solskjaer, regardless of Manchester United’s less-than-convincing showings of late, the 48-year-old should be well aware that his days at the team are numbered.
With a lot on the line, and Solskjaer on thin ice, the Norwegian strategist called an urgent meeting with its senior players, hoping to find a solution. The topic of the discussion was ways to save Man Utd’s sinking ship and Solskjaer’s job at the helm of the team, and while a firm talk with the players might help, it remains to be seen whether it will be enough for Manchester United to bounce back.
Two Managers on Thin Ice
Saturday’s clash with Watford is nothing less than a must-win for Solskjaer’s men, who can’t afford to drop more points if they wish to remain in the race for a top-four finish. Of course, the season is still young, and there is plenty of time to bounce back, but that’s hardly an excuse for Manchester United’s showings.
Unlike Man United’s bosses, the Pozzo family are now known for their patience and are on their 13th different manager since they bought Watford nine years back. However, that hasn’t proven to be the best strategy, seeing how their first manager, Sean Dyche, is now the longest-serving gaffer in the EPL.
After qualifying from the Championship, the last man to leave the team, Xixco Munoz, was in charge of the team for only six games. And while we don’t know what Watford’s plans are, Claudio Ranieri could also be on his way out.
Watford managed only three wins and a draw after 11 rounds of play, earning 10 points, which is good for a 17th-place on the ladder. Obviously, such results won’t cut it with the Pozzo family, and it explains why Ranieri has one of the shortest prices on the “Next Manager To Leave” market.
Interestingly, if you want to bet online on the manager with the shortest price to leave his team, you would find yourself betting on no other than Solskjaer, whose odds are as low as 1.50.
Manchester United Are Favoured
Despite the team’s slip-ups and disappointing showings, the visitors are expected to defeat Watford. That makes sense, largely because Manchester United have been solid on the road.
It is worth noting that Watford have beaten the Red Devils in two of their last four EPL matches at Vicarage Road, but the overall record shows Watford losing 12 of their 14 head-to-head matches. What’s more, that record includes 15 losses of their last 17 in all competitions.
Both teams are struggling, so some may argue a draw is a possibility. Of course, that’s always the case, but realistically, a draw isn’t a realistic option, given that there hasn’t been one draw between these two sides since 1986.
Additionally, Solskjaer can’t afford anything less than a win, so you can expect the visitors to approach this bout with the all-or-nothing mentality. And even though it’s fair to feel skeptical about Man United, you can always look at their away numbers (3-1-1) and feel at ease, knowing that they usually do better on the road.
